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Data Futures: The programme

Updated: 15 December 2023

In this page:

Programme headlines and milestones
Background to the programme
Data Futures announcements (published on the HESA website)
Support and resources

Programme headlines and milestones

The Alpha phase ran from May 2021 to January 2022.
The Beta phase launched February 2022 and ran until November 2022.
- The Online Validation Toolkit (OVT) opened June 2022: read the OVT user guide.
Data needs to be collected in the new format from 1 August 2022, using the 22056 specification.
The 2022/23 collection is an annual collection hosted on the HESA Data Platform (HDP), using the 22056 data specification.
The 2023/24 collection will be an annual collection.

Background to the programme

The Data Futures transformation programme will facilitate in-year data collection, assurance and dissemination of HE data.

A new data collection platform, the HESA Data Platform (HDP) will enable the provision of data to Statutory Customers for the Student record. In addition, it will deliver a more efficient system for HE providers to submit and quality assure their data leading to operational efficiencies.

The programme, led by HESA and delivered with Jisc will deliver a range of benefits for Statutory Customers, HE Providers, HESA and the HE sector.

Engagement and programme governance

Greater data utility

Timely, high-quality data to support effective regulation and decision-making in relation to the UK HE sector.
Improved management information for HE providers.

Statutory data efficiencies

More efficient data return and quality assurance process for HE providers.
Better alignment of regulatory and statutory data returns through a single model that connects with the increasingly diverse range of administrative business processes in HE providers.